The Sidetracker
by hajikurazaki19
Summary: Hardison was never allowed to leave his home town until he had a new partner, but after eight years of waiting, his adventure starts with an unexpected partner with unexpected rules. Can he handle himself when he only has a year to sight-see?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, there. My name is Haji, and I've decided to step out of my home fandom in order to broaden my thinking. So, what else than something I know almost as good as Kingdom Hearts? In short, I've tried to put a little bit more of a modern twist on this, because, let's face it, Pokemon will never be real, so realistic is out of the question. So, safely nestled in between fantasy and somewhere else, I give you...something different.**

**Enjoy.  
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><p>It had to be a dream. It had to be. The way he had to watch his friends leave for the first time. The way he stood and waved with an egg in his hands, hoping that he would be able to catch up with them as soon as he had his new partner. The way his father led him back home.<p>

It had to be a dream.

But, sadly, as the eighth year passed, Hardison Curcio realized that his life was not a dream, but a cruel reality that had been haunting him for the better half of a decade. And he sat in his room, staring at the ceiling, humming to himself. He had just finished high school, which was an unfortunate milestone in his society. He was due for graduation soon, and he was not looking forward to it one bit. In fact, it made him very sad.

"Hardison! Lunch is ready!"

Hardison sat up and rubbed his eyes. The sound of his mother's voice did nothing to comfort him, since he knew she was just going to pester him about his graduation, and then send him on some ridiculous errand to get him out of the house.

Hardison lived in a small town: Nevuma Town. To the north was Route 1, a road that led straight to the next town—Accumula Town—where his father worked. And to the south was an ocean. An ocean that went on for years and years that led to some far off place full of wonder and adventure.

But Hardison wasn't allowed to leave. Ever.

For, you see, in his world, creatures called Pokemon roamed far and wide, and some were more than willing to attack and kill humans. They were mysterious creatures, brought to Earth by unknown means, and—naturally—humans were willing to figure out how to capture and use them. But, only if they could get a partner on their tenth birthday.

Something that Hardison had failed to do properly.

"Hardison, I have a surprise for you."

Hardison's mother placed a plate of sandwiches on the dining room table. The television was on in the living room, and the screen flickered with the flashes of an intense fight. Hardison forced himself to look away as he settled at the table and folded his hands together.

"I'm not really in the mood for surprises," Hardison whispered. "I have to focus on school."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, dear."

Hardison frowned. "I know. I'm not allowed to go to the party. You told me a thousand times already. But, if Dad would just let me borrow Mightyena, I could go."

Hardison's mother sat down. "Listen, you know how he feels about you asking to borrow his Pokémon. Just wait a little bit, I think you'll like this surprise."

Hardison grabbed a sandwich and bit into it. It was slightly bland, but he chewed it and swallowed anyway, thinking only about the egg in his room. It was supposed to be his partner. It was supposed to hatch just in time for him to go on an adventure with his two best friends, but it never did. And for eight years after that, it never did.

It was a little discouraging, the first time he was told that his egg might be bad. He was ten and a half, and Professor Juniper, the town's top Pokemon researcher, told him in the best way she could about how his egg might not ever hatch. He remembered the tone in her voice.

"Sometimes, Pokemon never come out of their eggs, Hardison." She had the sweetest gentlest voice. "That's when I have to…help them along."

Hardison fought back with every ounce of his strength as his father tried to hand his egg over. After constant crying and pleading, he was allowed to keep it. In exchange, he had to give up a different partner. That was the rule. That was fair.

But, it never hatched, and he had been offered a different partner on countless occasions to compensate for his bad egg. However, there was something telling him that he couldn't give up. No matter how tempting it was to give up his bad egg for the cute new Oshawott, or the regal looking Snivy, there was a small tiny voice in the back of his head that told him to wait. All he needed was a little more time. Just a few more days, just another week or so. Just a little more time.

"Professor Juniper is going to visit."

Hardison swallowed slowly. "I'm not interested in anything she has to say. She's just going to offer me a different Pokémon. I already told you guys for the last eight years. I'm not giving up that egg. I just know it'll hatch. It just needs more time."

"Honey…"

"Do you need me to do anything?" Hardison said abruptly. "Run to the store or something? I can."

"Uh," Hardison's mother paused to think. "Well, I could use some MooMoo milk, but I think our town's supply ran out. We have to wait for another shipment."

"Well, do you mind if I hang around town?"

Hardison's mother looked at him sternly.

"I'm not going to sneak away, I promise. I'm just gonna look at the ocean for a bit. Can I do that?"

"Fine, but I don't want to hear that you tried to leave town again."

"Okay, Mom."

"I mean it, Hardison. Not one word."

"Okay, I promise."

Hardison quickly swallowed the last of his sandwich and jumped up the stairs. His room was neat, though there was a small pile of towels that sat right next to his bed. On top of the small stack of towels sat a large egg. It remained stationary. Not even a small wobble.

Hardison sat on his bed and stared at the egg. It was a dank shade of green, with a rough underside that gripped the towels firmly. It looked solid, but upon knocking on the shell, one could find that it was actually quite hollow sounding.

"I'm gonna go look at the water." He whispered softly, so his mother wouldn't hear him talking to an egg. "I'm gonna take you with me. I think it's about time you got some fresh air."

Hardison brushed his teeth and tucked his egg into his backpack carefully. He really didn't know where his habit of talking to his egg had come from. Probably rumors that if he talked to his egg, a rare Pokémon would come out, or if he told his egg that he loved it, it would hatch. Whatever it was, it had become an unbreakable habit.

His mother was waiting for him at the front door. She was carrying a small basket. Hardison kissed her cheek and stepped outside. The sun was shining, and he could smell the salty air blowing in from the ocean.

"I want you to take this."

Hardison looked at the basket. "Mom, I just ate."

"This is just in case you end up staying longer than you plan to. You know you do it all the time."

Hardison flushed. "I'll be back on time. Dad's coming home early today, isn't he? I'll be back on time. If anything, it'll be to see him before he holes himself in his office."

"Okay, if Professor Juniper shows up, I'll send her your way." Hardison's mother smiled. "I love you."

"Yeah, I love you, too."

Hardison turned on his heels and headed to the dock. It hovered above the water, and the sounds of the gentle waves sloshing against the legs of the dock made it such a serene place. It was peaceful, and Hardison felt as if he was standing at the gates of freedom, but he didn't have the key just yet.

"You know, I've always wanted to travel." Hardison pulled out a couple of towels and placed them on a bench. "But, Dad won't ever let me. It's because I wouldn't make it out there." He settled next to his egg and placed the basket at his feet. "I think he's mad that I didn't pick one of the starters. I think he was mad that I chose you instead. I remember the look on his face."

He stared at the water. In the distance he could see tall figures moving across the waves. It looked like it was some kind of migration, but he couldn't tell what kind of Pokémon it was. He secretly wished his egg would respond, but just like every other time, he was greeted with silence.

"Hey, you want to hear about this new book I found?"

Hardison fished around in his backpack until he pulled out a book. He sat next to the egg, cracked the cover and opened to the first page of text. He seemed excited, but at the same time, there was this veil of depression, like the book—or rather, its contents—gave him great joy, and so much sadness.

"Congratulations, you are now a Pokemon trainer," Hardison read. "You must feel so proud that you now have the option to leave your hometown to begin the real journey of your life. You have received your first Pokémon, and you are in preparation for your first trip. The first thing you must do is sign your contract, then you may officially be on your way."

Hardison paused. "The PCC. It's funny, I don't even want to be a trainer. I just want to travel."

"Hardison?"

Hardison turned. Professor Juniper stood there, smiling the same way she did whenever she spoke with him. That same sad look in her eye, the same tone of sorrow in her voice. She had come to deliver some bad news.

"Professor Juniper." Hardison smiled briefly then frowned. "What are you doing here? I was told you have a surprise for me."

"Yes, Hardison." Professor Juniper blinked slowly. "It's about the egg. I think you need to let me have it now."

Hardison instinctively reached for the egg. "But, it just needs a little more time. I can feel it. It's going to hatch soon. I know it."

"I know, but you've been saying that for a long time." Professor Juniper sat down and folded her hands in her lap. "It's been a long time, Hardison, and I don't want to make this any harder than it has to be. Your father..."

"He sent you, didn't he?"

Hardison jumped to his feet, dropping his book and scooping the egg into his arms. Professor Juniper sighed and stood up slowly.

"Listen, Hardison, I know it's hard." Professor Juniper frowned. "I've had the same thing happen to me once. But, you have to acknowledge the truth. The egg is bad. That means proper action needs to be taken. I'm so sorry."

Hardison clutched his egg and backed away. He already had it in his mind to flee, but it wasn't until Professor Juniper looked at him with that subtle confirmation of his greatest fear that made him actually run.

He ran fast. All the while, clinging to the egg as if it were his last lifeline. He didn't stop for any of the residents who tried to stop him for casual conversation. He didn't stop when he came upon his house. Instead, he jumped over the low fence of his yard and bolted up the stairs into his room. His backpack had unzipped on his frantic race home, but he threw whatever he could find into its depths and zipped it up, always making sure he had his eye on his egg.

"Hardison!"

Hardison paused for the smallest second, but resumed his panicked packing. He wrapped the egg in towels and jumped down the stairs and out the door. To his surprise and dismay, he was stopped dead in his tracks. His father was standing there, arms folded, face stern.

"Hardison."

"Uh, hi Dad."

Hardison didn't dare back himself into the house. His father was there to take his egg. He had hated the egg from the start, and though Hardison had probably guessed that this day was going to happen, it didn't stop him from fighting with every ounce of strength he had. Just like when he was ten.

"It's time for you to grow up, Hardison."

"Dad," Hardison choked. "Please. Just a little more time. Just give me another day."

Hardison's father huffed and reached for his belt. The look in his eye was that of concern, just like any other father, but there was also the faint glower of malice. Like he had been putting up with childish behavior, and that day was going to be the last of it.

"Hardison, your egg is bad! Give it up!" Hardison's father spat at him. "It'll never hatch. Whatever is inside is dead! You hear me? Dead!"

Hardison locked up. "No it's not, I can feel it."

"Hardison, I don't want to have to use force."

Hardison's father pulled a tiny collapsed sphere from his belt. As soon as he squeezed it, it expanded and glowed as he pressed the button in the center. It flipped open, and in a flash of light, a creature was standing next to him, ready to attack.

It was dark blue, with a long thrashing tail, and a dorsal fin jutting from its back. The only thing Hardison could focus on was trying to not stare at it for too long. It hunched low to the ground soon after stretching, and it growled. Deep and menacing, it bared its teeth and unleashed a sound that raised the hair in the back of Hardison's neck.

"Gar!"

"Garchomp!" Hardison's father frowned. "Use Roar."

Garchomp glared at Hardison for only a second longer before it snarled and roared in it fiercest voice. Hardison fled, feeling his brain numb. His father wouldn't kill him, would he? Why would he use such a powerful Pokémon?

"Garchomp!"

_Run faster._

His brain couldn't focus. This truly was a blind fear that consumed him, and he fled like a coward, knowing with his whole being that he would not be able to outrun the land shark should his father command it to give chase. The deafening sound still bounced around in his head, and he could feel massive footsteps coming closer.

"Dad!" Hardison cried. "Please, I just need a little more time! Please, Dad! Don't take it away!"

Hardison felt the earth under his feet cave as Garchomp smashed its head near him. Hardison moved out of the way, but it was such a scary thought, that he flew north. Hardison's father ran after them.

"Not so heavy, Garchomp! Relax!"

"Gar!"

Hardison ran into tall grass just at the entrance of Route 1, Garchomp on his heels. Though it wasn't thrashing as much, it was still terrifying, and Hardison hadn't been paying as close attention as he should have. So, he fell, and Garchomp, who had been so close to him, stepped just before him and tumbled over him, dorsal fin bending painfully, tail crashing.

Hardison screamed, more out of fear than anything else. He felt the egg slip from his fingers as his father's Garchomp caught him. Hardison's father released another Pokémon, this one a sleek black canine.

"Mightyena, get Hardison."

Mightyena sniffed around Garchomp and nuzzled Hardison, whimpering. Hardison breathed slowly, his brain taking in such a huge shock. As soon as he felt the wet tip of Mightyena's snout, he punched it. Mightyena yelped and growled back, but did not bite.

"My…egg…"

"Hardison!"

Hardison pushed away from Garchomp's tough skin. Garchomp relaxed and pulled itself to its feet, placing Hardison on wobbly legs.

"Are you okay?" Hardison's father grabbed him. "Hardison!"

"Egg…" Hardison muttered.

Hardison's father grit his teeth. "I've had enough of this egg!"

He spun around and lifted the egg from a small patch of grass. At first glance, it appeared to have survived its rough toss, but thin hairline cracks circled the top of the egg, and it seemed even more stagnant than before. Hardison's father placed it in Professor Juniper's hands. She had rushed to Hardison's aid, but stopped as soon as she saw Garchomp attack.

"Take it, Juniper," Hardison's father growled. "We're going to have to talk later. I'm afraid we've overstayed our welcome."

"Dad…"

"That's enough, Hardison. I don't want to hear another word."

"The egg…"

Hardison's father called back Garchomp and Mightyena. And grabbed his son by the arm. He was ready to drag him back to the house and place him under a round the clock surveillance. Ready to take every freedom his wished he had and turn it on its nose. Ready to do the unthinkable.

"Hardison…" Professor Juniper whispered.

Hardison stared at the egg for a long time. And for that time, it did nothing. But, then it moved, and a weird sound came from within its depths. A mottled cry that sounded like a bubble popping. And the shell cracked. The hairline fractures it had received from the crash deepened and spread until it covered the whole egg like a web.

And it shuddered, the top sinking in. Professor Juniper placed it on the ground and bent low to watch green fluids ooze from the top and bubbled over. It looked like gel, and it rolled slowly, turning from green to purple and back again. The tiny cries from the Pokémon inside grew louder and louder until a single round body flowed out.

Hardison couldn't believe it.

And neither could anybody else.

Before him, wriggling about in its own egg fluid was a brand new, barely mobile Solosis.

"Oh my god…"

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><p><strong>Sorry if Hardison seems a little...meh for a name. I've been stuck on it for a while. Give me feedback, please. I'd like to know how ya'll feel about my stepping into untested waters by myself.<strong>

**Has a nice day. :)**

**P.S. For people new to my writing at all, this is at the end of every chapter. It's like a catchphrase of sorts, but much cooler. :D  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Good afternoon, readers. Haji here with another chapter. I had actually started writing this after I had finished the first one, but I didn't want to continue working on it because I got lazy and I had to ink in a hundred frames. I still have about six hundred to go, but I think I might only be able to do three hundred...sorry.**

**So, I'm glad Hardison was rather well received, and I wanted to kind of describe him to you, but I wanted to be a little more clever about it. I don't know if anyone will get it. Aww well.**

**Enjoy.  
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><p>"Your Solosis is…" Professor Juniper moved the small Pokémon around in her hands. "A girl. Congratulations, Hardison."<p>

Hardison was hesitant to touch Solosis. It looked so frail and weak that he was afraid that he was going to hurt it.

"Is she okay?" Hardison asked.

Professor Juniper placed Solosis on a small table and wrapped it in damp towels. Solosis squirmed slightly, but otherwise was compliant. Hardison smiled repeatedly, but upon glancing at his mother and father, he frowned.

Hardison's father kept his arms folded. He seemed angry, but there was no obvious reason why. Professor Juniper sat at a computer and typed quickly, taking her time to answer Hardison's question. She wasn't entirely sure if Solosis was okay. She had never really worked with a Pokémon like Solosis before, and she didn't want to have to deliver any bad news. The last time she had done that, it didn't turn out so well.

"Solosis appears to be fine," Professor Juniper said finally. "She has a healthy rhythm, her skin is firm, and she is keeping her shape nicely. I'd say she is okay, but I'm not an expert on Northern Pokémon. I would really want to have a second opinion."

Hardison breathed shallowly. "So…does that mean I get a license?"

Professor Juniper nodded. "Yes, but there are a few rules I must go over with you first. And I called a PCC representative. He'll be here tomorrow to witness your contract signing as well as check on the health of Solosis. I suggest you get some sleep, and prepare for your journey."

Hardison's father grunted in disapproval and guided he home, his wife following solemnly.

"Dad?" Hardison asked. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I suppose so."

Hardison looked down for a long time. The dirt crunched underneath his feet, and in the silence of approaching night, it sounded like teeth chewing on rocks. He was taking his time, a little afraid of what the answer to his question was going to be even though he had not spoken yet.

"Why do you not want me to have a Pokémon partner?"

Hardison's father groaned softly. "It's not that I don't want you to have a Pokémon. It's just I think you have an over glorified idea of what this will actually entail. You're too eager to get started and you don't even know how hard it really is out there."

"Then why don't you tell me?" Hardison growled. "I can handle it. I'm an adult now."

Hardison's father narrowed his eyes. "You want to know how it is?"

Hardison nodded, slightly apprehensive. He could hear the subtle anger in his father's voice.

"It's like war your first time out. You take your first few steps, and you think you'll be okay, until your first wild Pokémon attacks you. And when you send out yours, it becomes so weak and damaged in battle that you have to go back home to heal. And then you do it again. And again until you make it to the next town.

"Trainers are always lurking around, searching for a newbie so they can hurt your Pokémon and take your money. And they are worse than the wild Pokémon. They'll gang up on you, even though it's against PCC regulation, and they'll break you down."

Hardison frowned. It really was a dangerous world out there, but he felt as if he hadn't been given a proper chance. He hadn't even step foot outside of Nuvema except for the one time he made it a few feet until Professor Juniper stopped him.

"It can't be that bad," Hardison said after a while. "I mean, Andrea and Daniel made it just fine."

"Andrea and Daniel had to scurry back home every other day. You don't remember?"

Hardison closed his eyes. "Well, they always said they were just visiting their parents. They said they just wanted to make sure everyone was okay. They told me Accumula Town was awesome, and that they were having so much fun."

Hardison's father groaned again. "They were lying. They were having fun, until their Pokémon almost got killed, or they almost got killed. Then it wasn't so fun."

"Why are you against it though?" Hardison argued. "Didn't you go on an adventure? Didn't you travel and battle and make friends all over the world?"

"But, you're not me!"

Hardison flinched slightly. "So, it's because I'm not as tough as you."

"It's not that." Hardison's father fell silent, though his demeanor was still overbearing. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Hardison chewed on his lower lip. "Would it make you feel better if I promised that I would be careful?"

"Not really."

Hardison thought for a second. He guessed that he could see where his father was coming from, but he still felt that swell in his chest upon the realization that he would be free to travel come the morning time. And he already felt empty not having Solosis near him. But, he thought that he could at least lessen his father's burden.

"I promise to be careful."

Hardison's father didn't answer, but the tension in the air eased. Hardison wished he could be a little more convincing, for he felt a tingling fear in his heart as well. The thought of being alone in the world where he could be killed at any moment shook him, but he was sure his father was exaggerating, even if it was only a little.

"Goodnight, Hardison."

"Goodnight, Dad."

Hardison's father frowned and stared at him. "I have a busy day tomorrow, so I won't be there for your application process."

Hardison shrugged. "You're a busy guy. I understand. I love you."

"Goodnight."

Hardison felt a cool sting as his father trudged up the stairs without saying anything back. His mother placed a hand on his shoulder and hummed softly. Hardison avoided looking at her, turning into her arms for a hug.

"Why is he so mad at me?"

"Your father just has a hard time accepting that he's going to lose you." She ran her fingers through Hardison's hair. "He loves you so much and doesn't want you to get hurt. He was the same way with me when we were dating."

"But, he's so…angry."

"That's just how he is. He wants the best, and it really is dangerous out there." Hardison's mother nudged him upstairs. "He just thinks you don't fully understand how it is. You're growing up too fast for him."

"But—"

"He doesn't want you to be broken. Being a trainer is a lifestyle choice most people don't take well. It seems okay in the beginning, but after a while, battling becomes so much more. Like a fight to the death in most cases. It becomes something else entirely, and then you lose your best friend. And you feel terrible about it, and it breaks your spirit."

Hardison frowned. "Did that happen to Dad?"

Hardison's mother nodded slowly. "He's still reeling from it. He doesn't want it to happen to you."

"But, I don't want to be a trainer," Hardison said. "I just want to travel. See some amazing places. Then I'll come back and take care of what it is I need to here. I'll get a job and go to college, and then do something with my life. I promise. I just want to travel."

Hardison's mother smiled. "We'll talk about it later. I love you, honey. Goodnight."

Hardison smiled back. "Goodnight. I love you, too."

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><p>The next morning, Hardison woke up early. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, but the sky was painted a pale blue, with the nighttime stars still glimmering faintly. For a while, Hardison sat in his bed. He had had a dream about his egg, and woke up to reach for it, only realizing a few minutes later that it had already hatched.<p>

He threw his feet over the end of his bed and stretched. He had to pack for his journey, though he had no idea how to go about doing something like that. Should he bring clothes? Food? How much money should he carry?

But, nevertheless, he showered, dressed and browsed his room for things to bring along. He folded some shirts and pants. An extra pair of sneakers, socks, boxers. After an hour, the sun was shining a little brighter, and nearby bird Pokémon were singing in the trees.

"Hardison?" His mother cracked the bedroom door open and peered inside. "Are you ready?"

Hardison nodded. "I think I packed everything I need. Clothes, shoes, a little money."

"I have a present for you."

Hardison smiled and grabbed his backpack. It felt a little heavy, but he was just having morning jitters, and he sure it would lighten up as soon as he was on his way. He followed his mother downstairs and sat at the dining room table. Mightyena was curled up in the corner, snoozing.

"What's Mightyena doing here?" Hardison asked.

"Your father thought I should have some kind of protection if I'm going to be alone from now on. Mightyena wanted to stay. It's also going to see you to Route 1."

"Oh, that was nice." Hardison muttered under his breath.

"Your father also wanted to give you a little something, but he had to leave early." Hardison's mother placed a small tray on the table. It had a couple bottles and some small spherical capsules in the middle, and a black belt curled around them.

"Some potions and pokeballs for your travels." Hardison's mother smiled. "And this is his competition belt. He only used it for competitive battling, so it's a little worn. He wanted you to have it."

"But, I thought he didn't want me to go."

Hardison's mother chuckled. "He doesn't, but he said last night 'If he's going to leave, he might as well be prepared.' I promised I would give it to you."

Hardison beamed. He felt good as he wrapped the belt around his waist. It was a little too big because it had been crafted for a muscular man, and his thin waist wasn't really big enough yet, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

"Even though you don't want to be a trainer, you need easy access to your Pokémon, especially if you get ambushed. Take care of it."

Hardison nodded and tightened the belt. It had two lines of attachments in it. One side for empty pokeballs, and one for occupied ones. When the pokeballs were collapsed, they easily fit into the compartments. Hardison pushed each empty ball into the slots with and audible click.

"You want to get going?" Hardison's mother asked. "The PCC representative should be there by now."

Hardison nodded and stood up. That nervous feeling in his chest grew with every step he took towards Professor Juniper's lab. There was a large bird Pokémon perched outside. It was saddled, and Hardison had never seen something like it before. It had to have been from a different region.

"Pigeot."

The Pokémon looked at him and ruffled its feathers. Around its neck was a black sash with three yellow letters across the front. PCC. Hardison bowed his head to the strange Pokémon and stepped inside the lab.

Professor Juniper was standing at the table where Solosis was. Solosis was hovering just above the table, and as soon as it saw Hardison, it flitted over. A man caught Solosis before it got too far and looked it over. He looked stern and official.

"It looks okay. Moist coat. Good color, proper energy for a Pokémon its size," the man said. Professor Juniper nodded in response. "I approve it for travel. Now, let's get to the trainer, shall we?"

Professor Juniper nodded, though she didn't smile. "He's just arrived."

"Fantastic. Let's begin."

Hardison took a seat at a different table and waited for the PCC representative to sit with him. After gathering a stack of papers, some folders, and a pen, he sat down and looked at Hardison. He was scary, like he was destined to speak only of a trainer's failure.

"Okay, this is how it's going to work," the man said. "I'm going to ask you questions for your license. It'll be quick as long as you pay attention. I don't have time to waste. I must get to an appointment in Hoen before the day is out, and it'll be quite a trip."

Hardison swallowed nervously. "Okay."

"Name."

"Hardison Curcio. Eighteen. Brown hair. Brown eyes."

"I only asked you for your name. Please, do not jump ahead."

"Sorry."

"Height."

"Uhh…five feet seven inches last time I checked."

"Weight."

"I don't know. I haven't weighed myself recently."

"Your tone is not appreciated and not tolerated."

"Sorry."

"Occupation."

"What?"

The man looked at him. "What is it you plan to do with your Pokémon career? Are you going to run the gym circuit? Breed Pokémon? Are you going to participate in human-Pokémon marathons?"

"Well, I just want to travel really."

"Trainer."

"But, I don't want to be a trainer. I'm just going to sight-see."

"In order for you to receive a valid license, you must provide all information requested. Recreational travel falls under the trainer category because it requires you to hold a trainer license to access certain parts of the region. In order for you to use any of the train services Unova provides, you must have a trainer license. Do you understand, Mr. Curcio?"

Hardison nodded. "Fine. Trainer."

"Now, on to your Pokémon." The PCC representative leafed through a few pages. I've already looked it over, and approved it for travel. Now, there are a few details you must be aware of before you begin."

"Okay."

"Your Pokémon's name is Solosis. Species, Cell Pokémon. It is female. It has normal coloration, with no shiny attributes to speak of. Its ability is Overcoat, which will explain any slimy shedding that may occur during battle or during your 'recreational travel'. It is currently at level five."

"Level five?"

"Yes, the PCC has devised a leveling system for competitive battling purposes. It is based on the moves it is confirmed to know. Solosis is at level five on this scale. It knows the move Psywave, and Reflect."

"Okay."

The PCC representative stood up. "That's it. I trust you are familiar with a majority of PCC regulation, am I correct?"

Hardison turned a little red. "Well, I've read on it a little, but I'm not an expert."

The PCC representative pulled out a thick slab of paper. "This is the entire Pokémon Company Commission's trainer contract. It details every rule a Pokémon trainer must follow. But, there are three main rules you should be aware of before signing the contract."

Hardison stared at the pile of paper. The writing was incredible small, and went on for days. "Okay, and those would be…?"

"Rule number one, you must produce a valid trainer license whenever asked. Failure to do so will result in the confiscation and release of all Pokémon in your possession, and the nullification of your trainer license should you actually have one." The PCC representative paused. "There are no exceptions to this rule. Be sure to carry your card with you everywhere you go."

Hardison's mouth fell open. That seemed like an extraordinarily harsh rule. And the punishment felt unfair. But, he nodded and reached for a pen.

"Rule number two, Pokémon are not permitted to use two attack moves at the same time. For instance, Double Team and Quick Attack may be used together, but Quick attack and Flamethrower are not. This prevents faster Pokémon from killing slower Pokémon and protects trainers from moves that may have a larger range, such as Take Down, Double Edge, and Headbutt."

Hardison nodded. He flipped all the way to the last page and uncapped the pen.

"Rule number three, use of the move Explosion or Selfdestruct in populated or protected areas is strictly forbidden. Cities, caves, and densely populated forests fall under this category. We had too many instances where a trainer only cares about winning the battle, and those particular attacks have had devastating effects. Do you understand, Mr. Curcio?"

"Yep, clear as day." Hardison signed his name at the bottom of the contract. "When do I start?"

The PCC representative hummed thoughtfully, swiping a card at the computer. "You may leave as soon as you wish. Congratulations, Mr. Curcio, you are legally allowed to own Pokémon."

Hardison jumped out of his seat. "Yes! Finally!"

"Please, enjoy yourself, Mr. Curcio. But, be warned, it is hard out there. Be careful, stay alert, and be sure to familiarize yourself with PCC regulation. On behalf of the Pokémon Company Commission, I declare you a Pokémon Trainer."

Professor Juniper smiled at Hardison's excitement and walked the PCC representative out.

"I appreciate you coming out here on such short notice," she said. "You've made his day."

"It's no problem. I owed you a favor anyway. But, I really must leave. Meetings in Hoen."

The PCC representative mounted his Pigeot and belted himself in. Professor Juniper waved.

"You really must introduce me to some of the professors in your region. This Pokémon is amazing. I've never seen it before."

"Just a Pigeot, Juniper." The PCC representative smirked. "We're trying to control the population. We are not allowing it to breed in Unova. Have a good day."

The PCC representative gripped the feathers of the Pigeot and it rocketed off with one flap of its wings. Hardison stood just inside, and Professor Juniper reentered the building.

"Okay, let's get you ready, Hardison."

Hardison followed Professor Juniper to Solosis. It floated lazily, but it made small noises as Hardison drew closer. It seemed to like him, but Hardison was still apprehensive about touching it.

"Do you want to give her a nickname?" Professor Juniper asked.

Hardison shook his head. "I like Solosis." He looked around to his mother, who gave a small thumbs up. He looked back at Professor Juniper. "So, how to I capture it? Do I just carry it, or do I put it in a pokeball?"

"Well, that's up to you, dear."

Hardison blinked. "I think I'd rather keep it out. But, is there a rule regarding that?"

"Well, you should have it assigned to a pokeball, just in case there are any problems down the road."

Hardison reached for his belt and pulled out an empty pokeball. "Uh…come here?"

Professor juniper laughed, and Solosis jolted and pressed itself to Hardison, trying to hide. "You can't just say 'come here'. Just ask it nicely, and open the ball. Push the button."

Hardison tapped the pokeball on Solosis's head and it erupted into a bright light. A second later, Solosis was tucked safely inside. Hardison smiled as the pokeball shuttered in his hand and clicked. Not even a moment later, he released Solosis.

"Hi, I'm Hardison." Solosis looked at him. "I've been waiting a long time to meet you. We should be friends."

"Now, Hardison," Professor Juniper warned. "Pokémon is not a game, and you need to make sure you remember that when it comes to traveling farther and farther away. Pokémon should be friends."

"What else could they be?"

Professor Juniper sighed. "There are some moves that are more powerful when Pokémon don't like their trainers. These can be more powerful than moves that are the opposite. Some trainers don't care about the feelings of their Pokémon. Just be careful about that."

Hardison nodded solemnly, but a smile still crept onto his lips. "I'll be okay. I promise. I've gotta go soon though."

Hardison's mother sniffed. "Could you at least stay until the afternoon? I have one more surprise for you."

"Mom," Hardison whined. "Please, I'll stay safe, I'll pay attention."

"Andrea wants to see you though."

"Andrea?"

Hardison's mother nodded. "Yeah, but she won't be here until a little later. I thought you'd really like to see her so I sent her some mail via Pidove. She really wants to see you."

Hardison blushed. "Uh…fine. I'll stay to Andrea, then I'll leave."

"No longer than an hour."

Hardison looked at Solosis, who squeaked back. "No longer than an hour. I'm gonna hold you to it."

* * *

><p><strong>Hope I did better with this one. I really want to get my characters established, though this is mainly about Hardison. Just in case you didn't catch it. His description was designed to kind of poke fun at some of the people who give descriptions in a list and expect us to fully grasp what this character looks like. I thought doing it in the form of a trainer license application would be clever. Not sure how well it worked.<strong>

**Hope you all enjoyed it. Feeling a little less scared of the fandom. If there is any Pokemon you would like to see on Hardison's team, let me know your thoughts. I think I'm going to limit it to three or four teammates. That's not final.**

**Yeah, that up there is my nonsensical rambling that I only do in the bottom author notes. This is essentially my thought process, so I don't forget stuff. You're welcome to comment on it.**

**Has a nice day. :)  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, all. Haji here with the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. I had finals. They were hard and grueling, but they are done now, so I write something for you all.**

**Enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Andrea!"<p>

"Hardison!"

Hardison faltered under the weight of one of his best friends, Andrea. After a minute, Andrea let Hardison go, brushing her hair back. Her face was tanned from the sun, and covered in sweat.

"How have you been?"

Hardison blushed. "I've been okay."

"I see your egg hatched." Andrea smiled and looked at Solosis, extending her hand.

Solosis was hesitant, and backed away. It snuggled closer to Hardison, and whimpered softly.

Hardison blushed harder. "Uh, she's not used to people yet. Sorry."

Andrea smiled and waved her hand. "It's no big deal. New Pokémon are like that. I guess I just got a little excited. It's been a long time."

"Yeah," Hardison paused. "So, what are you doing here?"

Andrea grinned wider. "I'm done with my adventure, Hardison. I'm just going to relax now. Maybe get a job. Something like that. And your mom called me. She told me you were getting ready to go."

"What? You didn't challenge the Elite Four?"

Andrea laughed. "No, Hardison. I was never into the Gym Circuit for the Elite Four. I was into competitive battling, but that's all done for me. My Pokemon are tired. They just want to rest. Maybe next year I'll enter a competition. Maybe you could enter with me."

"Andrea!"

Professor Juniper and Hardison's mother hurried to them.

"Hi, Professor Juniper," Andrea said. "Hi, Mrs. Curcio."

"It's been a while."

Andrea nodded. "Too long. I've decided to come home for a little bit. Just to rest and start working."

Professor Juniper smiled. "I can't wait to hear all your stories. But, I believe you and Hardison have something you need to do. Something you promised each other."

Andrea nodded and grabbed Hardison's hand. "I fully intend to keep that promise."

Hardison let Andrea guide him to the entrance of Route 1. Mightyena barked from the window of his house as they passed, and slipped out the back door. It sniffed around Andrea's feet and hummed softly as Andrea scratched its ears.

"Oh, yeah, my dad wants Mightyena to stay with me on the way." Hardison patted Mightyena. "He's really worried about me."

Mightyena hung back as Andrea and Hardison stood at the edge of town.

"Well, this is it," Andrea said. "Finally being able to take the first steps towards Route 1 together. This was a long time coming."

And, together, they took one step.

Hardison's heart flew away at that moment. He let go of Andrea's hand and threw his hands in the air.

"FREEDOM!"

"Calm down, Hardison." Andrea said. "You know I'm not going to let you leave without warning you."

Hardison let his arms fall to his sides, Solosis hid behind him. "What do you mean?"

Andrea sighed. "It's hard out there. Just make sure you be careful. Not everyone follows the rules, and not everyone cares about your pokemon. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I promise I'll stay safe." Hardison raised his right hand. "I'm only going to sight-see. I'll be gone for a year. Then I'll come back."

Andrea hugged Hardsion tightly. "Just don't get sidetracked. It's really easy to forget what you went on your journey for. God knows I did."

"Okay, I'll stay focused. A hundred percent."

"Oh, and when you make it to Dragonspiral Tower, make sure you take pictures. It's the most gorgeous place you'll ever see."

"Will do."

"And don't let anyone tell you you can't be the best."

"I won't."

"And make sure you don't stray off the road, or you'll get lost."

"Andrea!" Hardison said. "I got this. I'll be fine."

Andrea opened her mouth, but closed it quickly. "I'm sorry, it's just, this was supposed to be different. But, I have something for you."

She fished around in her pocket for a little bit before pulling out a sleek black device. She handed it to Hardison, who accepted it gratefully.

"What's this?"

"It's my Pokedex," Andrea said. "It's not completely finished, but I was thinking it might make your trip a little easier. It has a whole bunch of Pokemon in there, and useful information, and maps. I think you might need it more than me at this point. You can have it."

Hardison beamed. "Thanks. I'll take good care of it for you."

"Okay, now go on, you have a million things you have to see. Just, call every once and a while."

"You sound just like my mom," Hardison said. "I'll be okay. I promise."

Andrea stood there and bowed. "Have fun. I'll see you when you get back."

"Bye, Andrea."

"Oh, Hardison?"

"Andrea…"

"When you get back, I want to have a battle with you. Single, Straight Three, Launcher On."

"Okay, you're on."

Hardison spun around. The tall grass blew in the light breeze and the sun sat at its highest point. Solosis floated at his side and they ran down the road.

"Oh, this is so exciting Solosis," Hardsion cried as Nevuma Town grew smaller and smaller the farther he traveled.

"Sol!"

As soon as the tall grass became forest, Hardison slowed down to a walk. He wanted to get away from Nevuma, but he didn't want to rush his adventure. He pulled out the Pokedex and looked at it. It had a small pattern etched on the top in a faded pink. He looked it over, and opened it carefully. The screen blinked on and flashed a couple of times before opening to a list.

Hardison scrolled though the list for a while, whispering the names of the different Pokemon. Solosis stayed close by, still apprehensive about leaving Hardison more than a few feet behind.

"Hey, Solosis. Maybe we should train for a little bit."

"Sol?"

"What do you say?" Hardison ran ahead. "Let's train."

Solosis flitted after him, calling him back. Hardison moved some of the tall grass around, looked behind some trees, and turned some rocks over. Nothing.

"I guess the Pokemon are napping?" Hardison looked at Solosis, who shook in confusion. "Aww well. Maybe later, then?"

Solosis chirped excitedly and nudged Hardison. Its chirping echoed in the air for a while, and it wasn't until Hardison and Solosis turned around, that it was answered.

"Patrat!"

Hardison turned back. "Oh! Hey, Solosis. A Pokemon."

"Patrat!"

Hardison pulled out his Pokedex. "So, how does this work?" He pointed it towards the grass as a small brown rodent popped out.

"Patrat!"

_Patrat: The Scout Pokemon. Patrat usually travel in large packs. In order to communicate, they swish their tails back and forth in a hypnotic rhythm._

"Okay, Solosis." Hardison pointed at Patrat. "Use Psywave."

Solosis stared at Haridson.

"Sol?"

Hardison frowned. "Solosis, use Psywave?"

Solosis stared at Patrat and shook its head. Patrat growled and moved its tail in annoyance. Solosis backed away.

"Come on, Solosis," Hardison begged. "Use Psywave. You can do it."

Solosis shuddered and flopped to the ground, throwing up a shield of light around its body. Hardison panicked briefly as Patrat growled again, and tackled Solosis while it was still flopping around.

"Hey, that's not fair," Hardison yelled.

Patrat looked at him and growled.

"Pat!"

Hardison stood tall. "You don't scare me. Solosis, use Psywave!"

Solosis shuddered again and released a blast of energy. Patrat flicked its tail again. Hardison paled. Solosis moved in between Hardison and Patrat.

"Sol!" It cried angrily.

"Patrat!"

Hardison grit his teeth. "Why is this not working?"

Solosis puffed itself out as Patrat tackled it. It barely moved, but Patrat was working itself up and tackled again without hesitation. Solosis fumbled and tried to release another blast of energy, but it didn't do much besides agitate Patrat more.

Hardison growled angrily. "Come on."

Another voice answered him. "Oshawott, use Tackle."

From behind, a small blue and white creature rushed past him and knocked Patrat away.

"Use Tail Whip!"

Oshawott turned on its feet and thwacked Patrat away with its tail and tackled it again.

"Good job, Oshawott."

Hardsion frowned as a younger child pushed past him. He looked to be about thirteen years old, but he had this arrogance about him that instantly got under Hardison's skin.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

The boy ignored him. "Oshawott, use Water Gun."

Oshawott spun elegantly and opened its mouth. A jet of water pushed Patrat back farther, and it fell to the ground, soaked. The boy looked at Hardison warily.

"You're not very good at this, are you?"

Hardison flushed. "What are you talking about?"

"Your Pokemon didn't listen to you at all." He said. "In fact, it barely did anything to protect itself. Why are you even out here if you can't fend for yourself?"

"You leave Solosis alone." Hardison warned.

"Says who? You?" the boy laughed. "That's funny. You shouldn't talk, your Pokemon can't even beat a Patrat. That's pathetic."

"Look, this is my first time out, get lost."

The boy laughed harder. "What kind of starter is Solosis? I mean, it doesn't even know how to use its own moves. Did you teach it anything before you left?"

Hardison frowned. "Teach it?"

"Duh," the boy motioned to Oshawott. "I didn't leave until I had successfully taught Oshawott Water Gun. The Pokemon don't just know the moves, someone has to teach it. In the wild, it's the mothers, in training, it's the trainers. Get with the program."

"Who are you?"

"The name's Garret." The boy motioned to Oshawott again. "And this is Oshawott."

"Osha!"

Hardison furrowed his brow. "Hardison. And this is Solosis."

"Sol!"

"Well, Hardison, you better teach Solosis quick, or you won't make it out here. See ya, if you have the guts to do anything."

Garret pushed past Hardison, Oshawott following closely. Solosis glanced at Hardison after silence fell around them again. It turned a pale shade of dusty pink, blushing in embarrassment.

"It's okay, Solosis," Hardison said reassuringly. "We'll just have to learn to do this on our own. Come on."

Solosis flitted in stride with Hardison and he searched for a place to put his things down. He dropped his backpack by the base of a tree and fished around inside.

"Do I still have that book?"

After a few minutes, he pulled out the same book he had been reading to an egg not that long ago. He cracked it open again and flipped through some of the pages. Solosis tried to read with him, but only managed to knock the book out of his hands.

"Solosis, calm down." Hardison picked up the book again. "It says in order to help you, I need to teach you how to use your moves. But, I don't know how to teach you a Psychic move. I'm not a Psychic Pokemon."

Solosis shuddered. A thin film of purple light formed around it, but it dissipated instantly.

Hardison grabbed Solosis and stared it down, making faces as he focused as hard as he could. "You just gotta focus," he growled. "Like this. You see what I'm doing? Focus!"

Solosis copied him, making faces as it concentrated, but after a second, it burst out in a tiny laugh. Hardison scrunched his face up more in an effort to get Solosis to do the same, but he only succeeded in making it laugh more.

It was such a gentle sound, so pure, and it rang with the sound of bells in Hardison's head.

"Come on, Solosis. Focus!"

Solosis stopped laughing and stared at Hardison again. It made a small face as the thin film of purple light reformed, and it grew stronger, until Solosis released it, and knocked Hardison right off the ground.

Hardison rolled in the dirt into the grass, clutching his face. Solosis followed him, crying pitifully. Hardison sighed as the world stopped spinning. His eyes glazed over and he sat up slowly.

"Good job, Solosis." Hardison blinked slowly. "Just like that. I think we're done."

Solosis nudged him gently. Hardison tried to stand, but a throbbing pain in his head debilitated him. Solosis whimpered.

"I'm okay," Hardison said. "Really. It's just…a headache. I just need to close my eyes."

Solosis nestled on Hardison's chest as he closed his eyes. His world was still spinning and he keep seeing flashes of purple and green. The weight on his chest was comforting, and he drifted to sleep.

He was in a misty fog, surrounded by the sound of bells. He could only see vague outlines of people around him, and the smell berries lingered in the air. He didn't move, nor was he aware of what was really happening, until he heard the voices of other people interrupt him.

Hardison cracked his eyes open and sat up quickly. Solosis rolled off his chest and bounced along the ground.

"Solosis!" Hardison cried. "How long was I asleep?"

Solosis pressed itself to him, and he felt this sadness wash over him. Night had fallen. The previous blissful silence from he afternoon—the chirping bird Pokemon, the rustle of tall grass, the light breeze—it was gone. All there was eerie silence.

"Solosis?" Hardison whispered. "Stay close."

Solosis obeyed, staying near Hardison. Hardison moved back to the tree where his backpack was still sitting, surprisingly undisturbed. He picked it up and slung it over his back. He looked at the dirt on his clothes and brushed himself off, grumbling quietly.

"Come on, we should find somewhere safe to hide out until sunrise. I'm sorry, buddy, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Solosis nodded and moved forward. Hardison stayed close, keeping his eyes peeled for anything suspicious. Awkward movements, rustling grass, nighttime trainers. So far, his journey didn't start out too well. Solosis couldn't really use any attack moves. He hadn't even bothered to ask about teaching Pokemon moves. And, as he looked around at the dark grass and trees, he realized with a gasp that he was undoubtedly lost.

"Solosis," Hardison breathed. "I think we might be lost."

"Sol?" Solosis squeaked.

"But only until the morning!" Hardison said quickly, feeling at once that fear. "I'll be able to tell where we are then. I promise. I think trainers are just sleeping now. Or they went to some hotel somewhere or something. Accumula Town is north. Maybe we should head that way."

Hardison pointed forward, then to the left, then the right. He let his hand fall indecisively. Solosis perked up and flitted forward, then lurched to the right into the grass.

"Solosis! Wait up!" Hardison cried as he rushed after it. "You can't just go into the grass!"

"Solosis."

Hardison followed the sound of his Pokemon's voice as it traveled farther and farther away. Soon enough, he was met with silence. And it pressed at him from all angles. He sank to his knees.

"Solosis!"

"Shhhh!"

Hardison spun around and Garret came from a patch of grass. He looked tired and angry.

"Shut up!" Garret spat. "Are you trying to wake everything up?"

"Did you see my Solosis?" Hardison asked. "It went by you just now."

Garret folded his arms. "I don't care about your stupid Solosis. I'm looking for strong Pokemon to catch."

Hardison pushed Garret. "Well, if you're not going to help, get out of my way. I have to find her."

Garret hissed at him. "You have to shut up. You'll scare the Pokemon away. If you don't stay quiet, I'll have to kick your ass in battle. And you don't want that."

Hardison growled. "I just told you I can't find my Solosis. Why would you battle me?"

Garret huffed. "Because, you're really getting on my nerves. I wanna see your license."

"Oh, don't do this to me right now!" Hardison roared. "I don't have time for this!"

Garret snarled back. "I don't care. You have to show me your license."

Hardison dug in his pocket and pulled out his card. He shoved it under Garret's nose and pushed him.

"There. You happy?" Hardison stuffed his card back in his pocket. "Now will you just—"

Garret crashed into Hardison with full force. "How dare you talk to me like that? I'm a better trainer than you."

Hardison struggled to push Garret away. "What's your problem? I don't even want to be a trainer. I just want to travel. Get over yourself."

Garret hopped to his feet. "Fine, be that way. I challenge you to a battle, Hardison. Go, Oshawott!"

The dark trees were briefly lit by the flash light as Oshawott leapt forward. It swayed from side to side, ready for battle.

"Osha!"

Hardison frowned and panicked inside. He hadn't been able to find Solosis and he had no other Pokemon with him. He reached for his belt, feigning preparation, but not long after he unhooked an empty pokeball, there was a symphony of growls behind him. Hardison turned around slowly, and dozens of pairs of yellow and red eyes were staring at him.

They were Patrat. A whole pack of them, and they were all growling angrily. Garret froze, as did Oshawott. Hardison gasped softly.

"Uh, we didn't mean to disturb you," Hardison whispered. "We were just going to have a battle."

The first to emerge from the grass was the same Patrat that Garret had attacked mercilessly earlier. Its fur was still soaked, and it looked bigger than when they had seen it last. It appeared to be the leader of the pack, and it stood still, readying itself for a fight.

Garret shook slightly. "Oshawott, use Water Gun."

Oshawott stayed in place, trying to shake its fear, and it shot the Patrat with a stream of water. The water rained overhead, but did not hit any of the Patrat fatally. Garret called Oshawott back and fled.

"You're on your own."

Hardison jumped and ran after him.

"You can't leave me behind like that!"

Garret rounded a corner and ran faster. "Don't follow me!"

Hardison glanced over his shoulder as the Patrat all followed him. Some were faster than others, and they hopped over the stragglers in an all out ambush. Their growls and cries sliced through the air, alerting other sleeping Pokemon.

"Solosis!" Hardison cried. "Where are you?"

Garret began to slow down as fatigue took him, and Hardison wasn't that far behind. He tried to help Garret run, but they were both tired, and the Patrat weren't slowing down.

Garret wheezed and tripped over his feet in panic. His Oshawott skidded to a halt and turned, shooting another Water Gun at the Patrat. Some of the Patrat fell and scurried away, but the ones that didn't were quickly gaining speed.

"Solosis!"

Garret scrambled to his feet. "Stop calling your stupid Pokemon, it's not coming."

Hardison stopped. "Yes, it will. I know it will."

Garret stopped too. "Screw this. Oshawott, use Tackle."

Oshawott jumped forward and hit the closest Patrat. It fell, and another took its place. This one bit Oshawott and growled immediately afterward. Oshawott struggled against it and whacked it with its tail.

"Pat!"

"Oshawott!"

Garret stomped his foot. "Oshawott, use Tackle on more time!"

Oshawott pushed Patrat away and rammed into it. It faltered and almost fell, but it caught itself and tackled Oshawott back.

"Patrat!"

Hardison searched frantically for something he could throw. He figured that if he couldn't use a Pokemon to fight for him, he might as well join in. He picked up a rock and threw it with all his might at the Patrat. It hit it and it instantly turned its attention to him.

"Pat!"

Hardison instantly regretted his actions and backed away. Garret recalled Oshawott and fled again. Hardison threw his hands up.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just wanted to go on an adventure."

"Pat!"

"Sol!"

Hardison tensed as Solosis rolled out of the grass. It appeared slightly beaten, but it exuded an air of confidence. Confidence that it didn't have before.

"Sol!" Solosis looked at Hardison and nodded.

Hardison smiled. "Solosis, use Psywave!"

Solosis was cloaked in a flash of purple light, and it shot forward in a wave. The closest Patrat fell back, and was carried off by the others. Solosis cheered, but quickly grew serious as one last Patrat stood before them. Hardison glared at it, and it glared back.

"Solosis," Hardison commanded. "Use Reflect."

Solosis was enveloped in light and it charged forward, rolling slightly. As it collided with Patrat, the Patrat flew back. It jumped to its feet and tackled Solosis quickly, not giving up its fight. Solosis reeled away, but rolled into Patrat again, this time, with more force.

Hardison could hardly believe what he was watching. His Solosis, his friend, was battling for him, to protect him. And he felt this well of confidence in his chest. He felt powerful, strong. Independent for the first time. And he had just won his first fight.

Patrat lay still, not moving. It was too weak to fight, and Solosis eased to the ground, exhausted as well. Hardison jumped in victory.

"Yes!" He cried. "We did it, Solosis!"

"Sol!"

Hardison hugged Solosis to him. Solosis warmed up and snuggled him excitedly, but slowed to a near stop.

Hardison frowned slightly. "Oh, you're hurt. I have a potion."

He dug around in his backpack and pulled out a bottle. He looked at it briefly, unsure how to administer it, but he squeezed the trigger and it coated Solosis with a mist. Solosis instantly felt better, but looked at the Patrat. Hardison sighed and approached the defeated Pokemon slowly.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said. Patrat didn't move. "I just want to spray you with this."

He sprayed Patrat, and it jumped up a second later.

"Pat!"

It stared at Hardison for a long time before jumping in place and running away. Hardison sighed.

"Okay," He muttered. "No more late night battles."

Solosis closed its eyes and settled in Hardison's arms, drifting to sleep.

"Sol…"

* * *

><p><strong>Pretty standard stuff. It took me all day to write this, and I didn't bother editing, because I rarely edit. That will explain any missed typos.<strong>

**I'm so happy finals are over. I'll be updating more frequently now. No more three week waits.**

**Has a nice day. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh my God, can you believe it? I actually updated this one. And...it's the second story updating. Holy cow.**

**Hi, I'm Haji, in case you forgot. And this is another chapter.**

**Enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Accumula Town was quiet by the time Hardison and Solosis had stepped foot into the Pokémon Center. The sun had just begun to rise, and the chilliness of the nighttime was still upon them. They were exhausted. Solosis, after being able to defeat the Patrat was scared to leave Hardison to continue whatever it had been doing out by itself—undoubtedly training alone. And Hardison was far too paranoid to rest.<p>

As soon as the sliding glass doors closed behind them, Hardison breathed a sigh of relief—or at least partial relief—as they were greeted by a tired looking nurse.

"Good evening," she said.

"It's morning now," Hardison said quietly.

He looked around. There were a couple of trainers sleeping in chairs and hugging their Pokémon. They looked very young, maybe ten or twelve years old. Hardison glanced at Solosis and then back at the nurse. Solosis was silent.

"You think maybe you could heal her?" Hardison asked. "We've been through a lot."

The nurse chuckled. "Sure. You two look like you've had a rough night. Nighttime battles?"

Hardison frowned. "Patrat. Dozens of them."

"We've been having a little bit of an issue with the Patrat. Overpopulation." She frowned. "We've called the PCC about it. They say it's not too bad right now. But a lot of trainers have been getting hurt recently."

Hardison swallowed. The nurse coaxed Solosis onto the counter, where she administered a couple of different medications and cleaned it. Solosis seemed to like the attention, and chirped happily. Hardison grinned despite the previous night's hardship. It was just water under the bridge now.

"There is a wash room if you would like to clean up as well," the nurse said, pointing to a backroom. "I just need your trainer card."

Hardison placed his card on the counter, and thanked the nurse. He disappeared into the back room, where he washed himself in a shower and cleaned his clothing in the sink. He changed into a new outfit and briefly stared at himself in the mirror. He wasn't in there long, and by the time he and Solosis had left the Pokémon Center, the sun was shining brighter and the local bird Pokémon were singing a little louder. The chilliness of the night had not yet lifted, but it was noticeably warmer.

"We're going to go see my dad," Hardison said. "He didn't get the chance to see us off, but I think he'll want to know that I'm okay."

Solosis chirped. "Sol!"

Hardison's father worked at a construction company in Accumula. Though he didn't actually work in the yards, or on the projects themselves, he was responsible for overseeing the paperwork aspect of the job. His office was in Accumula, however the site was in the desert on Route 4.

When Hardison knocked on the front door of the building, he had half been expecting nobody to open it. After all, it was early, perhaps too early for office workers. But, to his surprise, his father opened the door, looking rather tired and overworked.

"Hi, Dad."

"What are you doing here?"

Hardison smiled, then frowned. "I wanted to see you before I left."

Hardison's father opened the door wider. His Garchomp was sitting in the middle of the floor. It looked just as tired and it growled at Hardison. Solosis chirped back, but retreated as Garchomp glared at it.

"I'm very busy, Hardison."

"I know, but I just wanted to talk." Hardison paused. "Can I come in?"

Hardison's father sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Sure."

Hardison stepped inside and sat down in a chair farthest away from Garchomp. Solosis hovered in the seat next to him and stayed quiet. It was obviously intimidated by the land shark, but was either trying to be brave for Hardison's sake, or for its own.

"Tell me about your night."

Hardsion was caught off guard by the request and he stuttered slightly. "Uh, well, it was…horrible. I ran into this kid named Garret and his Oshawott. He's a pain in my behind. We were going to battle, but then we were attacked by a pack of Patrat. And Solosis had come back just in time to defeat them and—"

"You were out there without Solosis?"

"Only for a little bit, but she came back."

"Hardison, being out there for a minute without your Pokémon could have been catastrophic for you. What if it hadn't come back? What if it ran away?"

"Well she wouldn't do that!"

"How do you know?"

Hardison grit his teeth. "Because she came back, that's why. She could have left, but she didn't. She came back."

Hardison's father sighed heavily and sat in his chair. There were papers scattered about—blueprints for the construction site—and he rifled through them for a while before he spoke.

"I want you to go home, Hardison."

"Why?"

"You're not cut out for this. I can see it. You'll give up by the time you reach Castelia City."

Hardison puffed out his chest, though that feeling of rejection weighed in his heart. He was coming to terms with the fact that his father really did not want him to leave, and by defying him, he was setting himself up for a rather large gamble. He did not scowl, though it was hard not to.

"I can take care of myself," Hardison said. "I'm going to go sightseeing for a year, and then I'll come back."

"And do what?"

"Well, first I'm going to battle Andrea, then I'm going to college. And then…I don't know yet."

"You can't leave without a plan, Hardison."

"Well, I'll figure it out. You never let me leave Nuvema. Maybe the farthest I've gone is here, but that's only a day's walk away, and your office is the only place I've been to." Hardison choked up. "I want to see Dragonspiral Tower. I want to find my way through Twist Mountain. I want to see the Chargestone Cave. And you would never let me if you had your way.

"Just one year. One year to travel, and I promise I'll come back. I'll be the son you want me to be, but you have to let me live at some point."

Hardison's father did not say anything for a long time. His Garchomp didn't move, and the growling in its throat lessened. Hardison hoped that he sounded sure enough. In truth, he was terrified, but he was determined to see the world, or at least Unova, in its entirety.

Hardison's father never said a word, and after a few more minutes, Hardison figured that he wasn't going to say anything at all. He stood up slowly, picked up Solosis and left his father's office. His attempt at fixing their relationship was a failure, though maybe not completely. He wouldn't know until he returned twelve months from now.

As he was leaving his father behind, there was a commotion in the main courtyard. People were gathering around a group of men and women in strange silver outfits. They were carrying flags and calling attention to themselves. Hardison looked down at Solosis.

"I wonder what's going on."

Solosis nodded. "Sol?"

"Attention all!"

One of the silver dressed men held up his arms. The courtyard fell silent.

"I present the wonderful, Ghetsis!"

Another, more important looking man stepped up before the crowd. His cloak was long and was split in half between blue and yellow. His hair was an unusual shade of green, and his one eye was covered by some kind of red plate. He looked severe, commanding, manipulative, but his voice was like silk.

"My name is Ghetsis," he said. "And you are all here because you are committing one of life's greatest crimes. You are enslaving Pokémon, robbing them of their full potential. You treat them like pets or slaves, and they answer to you like you are a master and not an equal."

"That's ridiculous," said a man within the crowd.

"You there, sir," Ghetsis cried. "You have Pokémon, yes?"

"Yeah."

"May I ask you what type?"

"Purrloin."

"Your Purrloin, you caught it?"

"Yes."

"You beat it until it could no longer fend for itself? And then you captured it within a prison? And it never roams about unless you allow it, is this correct?"

The man, embarrassed, muttered a confirmation under his breath. Ghetsis smirked, then addressed the rest of the crowd again.

"You see? This is what all of you do to Pokémon. You keep them from going where they please, and trap them inside your homes. You should release them, for the sake of liberation. Thank you for listening. Now think about what you've been doing your whole lives. Release your Pokémon. Make them happy."

With that, Ghetsis lowered his arms. The group of men and women in sliver packed up their flags and departed in an organized, almost hypnotic rhythm. The crowd began to thin, though it was clear that Ghetsis had convinced some people that they were horribly evil for having Pokémon.

Solosis stared at Hardison.

"I don't know what he was talking about, Solosis," Hardison said. "You're my friend."

"Sol!"

Hardison let Solosis go, and it drifted to the ground until it was about a foot from the dirt. It snuggled against him and chirped again. Hardison made his way through the people, expecting to leave Accumula as soon as he could. His next stop was Striaton City, where he would visit the Trainer's School. He had heard from Andrea a long time ago that gym leaders always stopped by to give lessons. Maybe he could meet one and ask what it was like to travel.

As he made his way to the gate that led to the next route, a small group of people caught his attention. The first that had actually stopped him had green hair, and he seemed to be angry for some reason. Another boy was talking to him, and though he didn't seem angry, he did look a little agitated, like what the strange man was saying was insulting to some degree.

Hardison edged closer, and the heated conversation quickly escalated into a battle. The man—who had introduced himself as N—sent out a Purrloin and hastily attacked the other, who had sent out a Snivy. Snivy had barely any time to prepare before it was scratched by the nimble, dark purple cat.

It quickly grew agitated and lashed out with a thin vine, knocking Purrloin to the ground. N egged his Pokémon on, talking to it like it was a person, and the Purrloin jumped to its feet. Their cries echoed in the courtyard, however, Hardison, though curious, did not waste any more time watching the battle. He needed to get to Striaton City.

He approached the gate to Route 2 and opened the door. A receptionist was sitting just inside. No doubt she was a guide of some kind and knew the lay of the land much better than any map. And Hardison couldn't figure out how to open the map installed on the Pokedex Andrea had given him just yet. Andrea had failed to show him how. Granted, he didn't stick around to find out.

"Excuse me."

Solosis remained by Hardison's side. The receptionist looked up and smiled. "Yes? What can I help you with?"

"I've never been down this way," Hardison explained. "Can you tell me how far away Striaton City is?"

The receptionist laughed. "It's been a while since somebody asked me that."

Hardison didn't find his question very funny. And he felt like the receptionist was laughing _at _him.

"Striaton City is about a three day's walk if you go straight there. But if you only travel during the day, you most likely won't make it there until next week. Not unless you had some kind of vehicle transportation. Or a Pokémon big enough to fly you."

Hardison frowned. Three days? That already felt like it was too long.

"It's not that bad if you think about it," the receptionist said quickly. "It could be worse. The distance between Striaton and Nacrene is twice as long. I'm sure you can do it."

"Thanks," Hardison mumbled.

He left the small gate building and faltered slightly when Route 2 was before him, covered in forest and tall grass. In the distance, the victories cries of Pokémon and trainer alike filled that air, and it was evident that there were battles to be had. Hardison was going to try and skirt around them as best as he could. However, he could already sense that his attempts at hiding were going to be fruitless. He shifted uneasily and stepped forward.

Almost as soon as he stepped foot in the grass, Pokémon jumped out at him. He either startled them, or they were trying to startle him, and he was thrown into a constant swirl of Patrat biting at him, Purrloin scratching and growling, and Lillipup tackling.

It wasn't until nightfall that the onslaught was over, and the grass fell silent. Hardison collapsed under a tree and pulled out his last potion. Solosis was beaten and bruised, and chirped miserably. This adventure wasn't turning out so well. Hardison seriously considered turning back and going home, since he was down to his last potion, and had no way to heal Solosis if it got hurt any more than it already was.

"Maybe we should have trained a little more before we left," Hardison said as quietly as he could.

Almost instantly, he was reminded of Garret and Oshawott and hated himself for it. How could a twelve-year-old boy have so much hostility for everybody? Was it a child thing? Or was it a trainer thing? Hardison then felt bad for him, until that hostile child poked his head around the tree he had been sitting under.

"Boo!"

To say Hardison was surprised was an understatement. He nearly jumped out of his skin, and his fear drove Solosis to crash into Garret, as it had instantly assumed that the child was a threat. Garret howled in pain and kicked Solosis away, sending out a Lillipup. The light tan puppy Pokémon growled and hopped around, ready for battle.

"Lillipup, show this idiot who's boss!" Garret cried. "Use Bite!"

Lillipup jumped around for a moment before attacking. Solosis barely managed to flit out of the way, and it was evident that it was just about the slowest thing in the world. Lillipup barked and hopped around again, waiting for its next command.

Hardison growled. "Would you just leave me alone?"

Garret folded his arms and smirked. "Not a chance. You're a weak Trainer, and weak trainers get defeated. It's that simple."

"Fine," Hardison yelled. "Solosis, use Reflect."

Garret had uttered some kind of command as the coat of light encased Solosis, for Hardison had not heard it, and didn't realize that Solosis was under attack until Lillipup had bitten into it. Solosis squeaked and almost crashed into the dirt.

"Oh yeah!" Garret said triumphantly. "That would be a critical hit."

"Critical hit?" Hardison breathed.

Solosis struggled to regain its ground. It was obviously defeated, hanging onto fighting health by a thread. Hardison had lost this one. There was no doubt about that.

"Weak trainer," Garret huffed. "Lillipup, use Bite again. Kill it this time."

Hardison paled. He had commanded his Lillipup to kill Solosis? Why?

"Solosis!" Hardison cried. "Get out of there. Run away!"

Solosis didn't try to escape. It waited for Lillipup, and rolled out of the way again. Lillipup gnashed its teeth together and hopped out of attacking distance as soon as it could control its momentum. Solosis was still encased in a film of light, and it rushed forward as fast as it could, rolling like a ball. Lillipup, who had attempted to dodge it was hit full force and flew back. It crashed to the ground and stood up, clearly weakened and angry.

Garret snarled and withdrew Lillipup. In a flash of red light, Lillipup was taken and replaced with Oshawott. Oshawott had grown quite a bit since Hardison had seen it last. And though Solosis had grown too, Oshawott was still much bigger.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun."

The jet of water soaked Solosis, but did little else. Solosis shook itself dry rather quickly and shimmering coat of light faded. The trees that had trapped the light within their battle grew dark, and Garret grumbled audibly. Hardison waited for him to attack, but it never came. At some point, he had slipped away. He must have thought he was going to lose so he had cut his losses.

"Good job, Solosis," Hardison whispered.

Though he had technically won by default, Hardison did not feel as though he were a winner. It made him painfully aggravated that the only reason he could win a battle was because the opponent decided to run. It had happened on more than one occasion. The Patrat were defeated because a majority of them decided to retreat. Garret had decided that a battle with him wasn't worth the time. That left Hardison with a chip on his shoulder, though very slight.

Instead of resting for the night—like he had planned—Hardison checked over Solosis, brushed himself off, and started into the grass. Solosis did not hesitate in following. It could sense the feelings of worthlessness seeping out of its trainer, and felt its own need to prove its worth not only to Garret and Hardison, but to itself as well. And in order to do that, it had to train.

And train they did.

Throughout the night and well into the morning, Hardison and Solosis battled and defeated every Patrat, Lillipup, and Purrloin that crossed their path. It almost seemed as though a little bit of Garret's hostility transferred into Hardison for a moment as he commanded Solosis's attacks beautifully. So much forward thinking and anticipation.

Until he crashed.

It was about midday when Solosis fainted. After taking so many hits during their training, it had finally reached its limit. Hardison, though tempted to push Solosis further, decided to rest with his Pokémon. They sat comfortably under a tree, and Hardison closed his eyes for only a moment. Solosis rested on his lap, and they enjoyed a quiet moment with each other. The forest around them was serene, and the only sounds heard were those coming from the north, where Trainers were lying in wait.

"You know, Solosis," Hardison said, "I think I might want to be something when I grow up."

"Sol?"

"Something like a professor." Hardison chuckled. "My parents want me to go to college after all. I mean, why not? That would give me an excuse to travel forever."

"Sol."

Hardison sighed, allowing that aching tiredness that had been plaguing him ever since losing to Garret to take over. His muscles relaxed, and he grew sleepier. Solosis settled and drifted off before Hardison did. Hardison was about slip away too before he heard rustling in the tree above him. He shifted slightly, not wanting to wake his sleeping Pokémon, and looked up.

Roosting on the lowest branch was a Pidove.

It looked just like any other Pidove, except it was huge, and it looked grumpy. Hardison shifted more, and Solosis wiggled about. The Pidove took one look at him and chirped. It actually sounded more like a disgruntled click, and it shuffled on the branch.

"What the…?"

"Hey!"

Hardison looked around. A young girl, about fifteen years old, was waving him down. Solosis cracked an eye open, squeaking half-heartedly, closed it. The Pidove chirped again and flew away, loosening a few leaves from the branches around it.

"Stop that Pidove!"

Hardison jumped to his feet. "What's going on?"

"Don't let it get away!"

Hardison side stepped the girl as she threw a Pokeball, and a short Zebra like Pokémon leaped from the flash of red and raced after it. The girl stopped briefly, if only to glance at Hardison disapprovingly, before dashing after the short zebra Pokémon.

"Blitzle, use Charge, then go for a Spark!"

The Pokémon glowed a pale yellow as electricity gathered around it. And it seemed to run faster than it had been. It was gaining on the Pidove, but as soon as it was about to tackle it, the Pidove flew higher and into the foliage. Blitzle came to an abrupt stop and released the electricity it had stored, singeing the grass around it. The girl slowed to a walk, out of breath. As she patted Bliztle, she turned back to Hardison.

"You let it get away," she said.

"Me? I'm not the one trying to catch it." Hardison frowned. "Don't get mad at me because your Blitzle can't fly."

The girl pointed to the tree that the Pidove had been sitting in. "It was right above you. And you looked at it. That's why it flew away. I almost had it but you _had _to look at it." She folded her arms. "You let it get away."

Hardison looked down at Solosis, who had woken up and was now confused, just like him. "What?"

"Now you have to help me get it back."

Hardison snapped back at her, "Says who?"

"Says me."

"I don't even know who you are."

The girl huffed and pointed to herself. "I am Olivia Strider. And I'm going to be a Pokémon Master!"

Hardison grimaced. "Yeah, good luck with that. I'm leaving."

Olivia ran in front of Hardison, her arms spread wide. She was frowning and she looked deranged and determined. A combination that Hardison found rather irritating. As he tried to move past her, she only took a step back and edged in front of him again.

"Would you leave me alone?"

"Not until you help me capture that Pidove."

"I'm not going to—"

"Why don't we let a battle decide?"

Hardison growled at her. "No."

Olivia puffed out her chest. "Yes. I challenge you."

Hardison crossed his arms. Solosis had flitted out of his grasp and nudged Olivia away. It was obviously trying to help Hardison by dismissing the teenaged girl, though it seemed to be sending the wrong message because Olivia called Bliztle to her side. The zebra Pokémon knocked Solosis back and flicked its ears in annoyance. Apparently, Olivia and Solosis wanted to battle, however Blitzle and Hardison did not.

"Blitzle, use Spark."

Blitzle, though reluctant and a little slower than normal, charged up with electricity and barreled into Solosis, knocking it back and stunning it. Solosis shuddered in place and turned a faint shade of yellow. It chirped angrily.

Hardison rolled his eyes. Solosis could sense his distain and frustration. Hardison would rather not battle, so it did what any loyal Pokémon would do in order to please its trainer—it fought. And it attacked Blitzle without any warning and without being commanded to do so. Blitzle had been caught slightly off guard, but because Solosis was so slow, it regained its ground rather quickly and attacked back, braying. It shocked Solosis in a full tackle and glared at it to stay down once it had fallen.

Solosis blushed in embarrassment. Under the thin yellow coloration was a muted red. It had lost.

Olivia smiled triumphantly. Blitzle returned to her side, still looking rather annoyed but also very sorry. Olivia patted Blitzle. "Good job, Blitzle. It looks like I win."

Hardison hung his head slightly. "How much do you want?"

Olivia frowned. "What?"

Hardison looked at her. "You beat me fair and square. Isn't it customary for the winner to be awarded prize money?"

"I supposed so," Olivia mused. "But I don't want your money."

"Then what do you want?"

Olivia stuck out her hand. "First, I want your name. And then I want you to help me capture that Pidove."

Hardison did not take her hand. "Fine. I'll help you with the Pidove."

"And?"

He looked away, mumbling under his breath. "Hardison Curcio."

"Hardison?" Olivia grinned. "Nice to meet you. Now let's go!"

Olivia and Blitzle rushed in the direction that they had remembered the Pidove flying. Hardison looked at Solosis, who refused to meet his eyes, and grimaced. He supposed that being stuck with a fifteen-year-old wannabe was better than losing every dollar in his pocket, but there was still that light air of freedom about his demeanor. He had a whole world to explore.

And thus was the beginning of his "true" adventure.

* * *

><p><strong>Olivia is definitely awesome. Her Blitzle is way over-leveled for her...but she's pokemon master and that will be addressed. :P<strong>

**Don't hate.**

**Has a nice day!  
><strong>


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